FROM THE ARCHIVES:Early one January morning in 1888 James Fitzmaurice and his daughter Norah set off in a cart for the fair in Listowel, Co Kerry. Fitzmaurice had been boycotted by the National League (successor to the banned Land League) for the previous five months because he had agreed to pay a reduced rent on a farm from half of which his brother had been evicted. After he had sent his police escort away, two men approached the cart and shot Fitzmaurice three times. He died some hours later.
The only witness was Norah Fitzmaurice, who identified two men as the killers and gave evidence leading to their conviction. When she next went to Mass locally, people left the church and two other men were charged with intimidation. The incident was described during their trial, as reported in today’s newspaper in 1888.
– JOE JOYCE
CONSTABLE RYAN, stationed at Ahabeg, deposed that he formed one of Norah Fitzmaurice’s escort to Lixnaw to attend Mass. He was in uniform. He accompanied her into the chapel. She occupied a place in line with him on his left hand side. He saw the defendant, Thomas Dowling [secretary of the local National League branch], occupying a seat in the aisle in front of Norah Fitzmaurice.
The other defendant, Mortimer Galvin, was in front to the right of Norah Fitzmaurice in a different aisle. After the Gospel Thomas Dowling stood up from where he was, and walked down the aisle of the chapel . . . As he went down the aisle he was facing the people and the people facing him. Then while passing down he had his hand as high as his waist, and was beckoning at the people. In consequence of that several persons – over 30 persons – followed Dowling out of the chapel. He saw Galvin walk down the other side of the chapel, and was beckoning with his head when facing the people coming down. People from that aisle got off their knees, and followed him as he passed them.
[Questioned] by Mr Roche [resident magistrate] – The two defendants left together.
[Questioned by] Mr Hickie [district RIC inspector and prosecutor] – The people who followed Dowling had been kneeling also. He heard the door clapping with the force of the people going out the door. That Mass was celebrated at 12 o’clock.
Mr Roche – From what I know the Gospel is in the middle of the service. Is that an unusual time to leave church?
Mr Hickie – Most unusual . . .
Mr Roche – Is it a usual thing in this church for persons to leave service at the time?
Witness – No, sir. I have been attending the chapel for a year and nine months and I never saw the people leaving it before . . .
Constable Colleary gave corroborative evidence.
[Questioned] by Mr Roche – There were twenty men detailed to escort Norah Fitzmaurice, and some of them were armed.
The Witness said before the Gospel commenced he saw Thomas Dowling get up and walk down the centre aisle: he saw him raise his hand across to make a sign from left to right: a great number of people got up after that and left . . .
Constable M. Hunt was next examined. He deposed to seeing Dowling make a sign or signal as he walked down the aisle; immediately after he got up there was great noise; witness thought it very strange to see all the people turned out – it was the strangest thing he ever saw at a chapel in all his life. The parish clerk, John Carroll, ordered the people back, but only a few young women returned.
[Dowling and Galvin were convicted and jailed for six months. The two men convicted of murdering James Fitzmaurice, Daniel Hayes and Daniel Moriarty, were hanged on April 28th, 1888, protesting their innocence.]
http://url.ie/5pnk